


Manhattan View

by Diary



Category: Angel: the Series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV), Ugly Betty
Genre: Alternate Universe - Buffy The Vampire Slayer Fusion, Ambiguity, Angst, Awkward Conversations, Bechdel Test Pass, Canon Character of Color, Canon Gay Character, Canon Gay Relationship, Crossover, Declarations Of Love, Disturbing Themes, Established Austin/Justin Suarez, Established Hilda Suarez/Bobby Talercio, Established Relationship, Family, Friendship, Interracial Relationship, Interspecies, Interspecies Friendship, Late Night Conversations, Multi, Mystery, Off-screen Relationship(s), POV Multiple, Post-Canon, Religious Discussion, Romance, Sharing a Bed, Supernatural Elements, Urban Fantasy, Vampire Slayer(s), Vengeance Demon(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-21
Updated: 2016-07-21
Packaged: 2018-07-25 18:35:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,782
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7543519
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Diary/pseuds/Diary
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Repost. Crossover. Austin's dad is shot, and the Suarez family tries to help. Complete.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Manhattan View

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own any of the fandoms contained within.

The sound of clicking heels make Bobby look up from his cards, and a second later, Hilda bursts into the room.

He jumps up. “Hilda?”

Smacking him on the arm, she snaps, “You need to remember to keep your phone on!” Waving to his poker buddies, she says, “Sorry to interrupt.” Then, “We need to go to the hospital. Now.”

Grabbing his coat, Bobby asks, “What’s wrong? Ignacio? Justin?”

“Austin,” she answers. “Poor baby, his dad was shot. Justin’s waiting with him, and I already called Papi. He’s taking a cab.”

…

If Lily gives Justin a worried look one more time, he’s going her on smack the forehead.

He knows he’s giving the same looks to Austin.

Officer Fitzgerald is still alive, but he was shot in the heart and is in surgery. Austin is curled up in his plastic chair and staring into space with silent tears occasionally falling, and every few minutes, a shudder runs through him.

Recognising the sound of clicking heels, he stands up.

His mom, granddad, and Bobby all burst into the waiting room.

Speaking Spanish, his mom rushes over. After briefly examining him, she kneels down in front of Austin and takes his face in her hands, “Sweetheart, I’m so sorry. Other than this, are you alright? You’re not hurt?”

Nodding, Austin wipes at his face. “Yes. Thank you.”

She kisses him, and Bobby briefly squeezes Justin’s shoulder before going over. “Good. Look, Austin, I know you probably don’t want to, but you’re not staying here. The hospital will call when they have news.”

Justin starts to protest, but his grandfather an arm around him, and he notices his mom squeezing Lily’s knee. “No, mijo,” his granddad says. “Bobby’s right.”

“I’m not leaving, sir.”

Bobby helps his mom up, and then, puts a hand on Austin’s shoulder. “You’re not staying,” he repeats. “Walk or be carried, buddy.”

…

“Mom, I don’t think this is a good idea,” Justin says.

Pulling him a hug, she says, “I know, baby.” Looking toward the guest bedroom, she quietly tells him, “Look, papito, there’s a chance he might die. And I don’t even like thinking it, but we need to be prepared, so that we can try to help Austin if the worst happens. We might be going about this all wrong, but if he does- I don’t want Austin in the hospital when it happens. I don’t want him sitting in the waiting room while his father dies down the hall.”

Justin shudders.

“Sh,” she says. “I know, I know. Listen, keep the door open, but stay with Austin tonight, if he’ll let you. Let the grownups worry about the other things, okay? We’ll talk to his mom when she calls, and we’ll take turns staying up in case the hospital calls.”

Taking a deep breath, Justin wipes away his tears. “Mom, I’m not trying to- I wouldn’t with all this happening, but I think it would be better if I left the door ajar.”

“As long as we can look in when we need to without having to open it,” she agrees. Kissing him, she says, “Go see him, honey. Sit with him, talk with him, whatever. If you two want to watch TV or play video games all night, that’s fine, and let him know the kitchen’s always open. If you need help fixing something, get one of us, alright? If either of you need anything. Promise?”

Nodding, he says, “I promise.”

…

“Hey,” Justin says.

Austin looks over from his place on the bed. “Hey.” He motions for Justin to lie down.

Justin does and wraps his arms around him. “Is there anything I can do?”

“No,” Austin answers. He closes his eyes and taking a shaky breath. “My dad’s always talked about how this might happen, and I know- I’ve been going to funerals for fallen officers since I was ten. Before then, I saw him going to them. But knowing it might happen and-”

“I’m sorry,” Justin says. “I-” He kisses Austin’s cheek.

“Are you okay?” Austin shifts. “After what happened with your dad, you shouldn’t have to deal-”

“It’s wrong to hit people you’re in relationships with, but I swear to God, Austin, I will hurt you. Boyfriend or not. Yes, my dad was shot. Yes, it still hurts whenever I think about him. But this has nothing to do with that. I love you, and don’t freak out. I know we’ve never said that, but no matter what, I just love you, and I’m going to do anything I can to help you. All I care about right now is you and him.”

“Thank you,” Austin manages to get out, and then, he starts full-out crying.

Tightening his hold, Justin shakes his head when his grandpa sticks his head in the door.

0

“Darceila-”

Darcy Fitzgerald looks down at the picture of her son and ex-husband. “I’m not asking you to intercede in whether he lives or dies. I wish the person who did this-”

“For- Listen, slayer,” the vengeance demon hisses. “Your son is safe. If you do this, Darceila, you put yourself in danger of being found by the Summer slayer. You risk demons being able to target your child. You may risk the future children of slayers sent there. Only a slayer’s permission can send me there, and for all anyone knows, one slayer’s permission is blanket for all.”

Trembling, Darcy wrenches her gaze away from the picture, and tears start to fall.

“I wish to know-”

Sighing, the vengeance demon gathers her into a hug. “No, sweet one. No. You are not a murderer.”

“There’s a dead teenager who would disagree. I killed him, I can-”

“Such tragedies, at times, occur. His death was accidental.”

“I deliberately-”

“You were under a spell that made you see an evil minion of Hell,” the vengeance demon corrects. “You have never willingly taken a human life. If you start, they will find you.”

Sobbing, Darcy closes her eyes. “He’s not in Manhattan. He’s in Queens. I have to go- If- In the event I don’t make it back, I wish for you to protect Austin.”

“So may it be,” the vengeance demon agrees.

0

Austin dangles the necklace back forth and comments, “You can still make fun of me.”

Justin sighs. “Austin.”

He’s always made fun of Austin’s interest in aliens and the paranormal. Austin’s devised plans to obtain holy water, babbled about wanting to see some monument in Georgia, and his first response to the fire at the salon was to ask if Justin or any of the others were zombies. He still sleeps in Star Wars pyjamas and writes essays in English about The X-Files.

Austin’s dad is out of surgery but in a coma, and Austin wants to put some crystals in his room. He wants to give his mom an ankh necklace Lily had given to him.

Besides the fact they’re comforting to Austin, if there’s any chance of the crystals helping and of the necklace keeping Ms Fitzgerald safe, he’s not going to discourage Austin.

Putting a milkshake in front of Austin, his mother says, “Here, baby. Listen, your mother finally got a ticket. She should be here by four.”

“Is she okay,” Austin asks.

“She’s fine,” his mom assures Austin with a soft smile. “She was relieved to hear you were in Manhattan,” she adds. “She didn’t seem happy when she thought you were staying at the old house in Queens.”

Austin winces. “I forgot to tell her about the move. I should have.”

“Hey,” Justin says. He leans over to kiss Austin’s head.

“No, I should have,” Austin insists. “There’s this nursery rhyme she used to recite, ‘The city where a man resides on a hat, may it forever be a sanctuary for the blood of the chosen one.’ When she and Dad got divorced, she made him promise to stay in Manhattan until I was eighteen. My mom had this ancestor that came here to escape some cult. This ancestor insisted that the city protected her from being found. Of course, my mom doesn’t believe there was anything supernatural, but she feels connected to the city. It’s always made her feel safe,” he finishes with a sigh.

Justin tries not to sigh himself.

He doesn’t think he’s doing a good job helping Austin deal with what’s happened to his dad, and as guilty as it makes him feel, he doesn’t think he has the energy to help Austin deal with the misplaced guilt over his mom leaving the city she loved.

Just as Justin rarely talks about his dad, Austin rarely talks about his mom. From what Justin has been able to glean, Ms Fitzgerald wasn’t exactly ready or willing to have a baby, and a few years later, she’d decided she’d absolutely had enough, divorced Officer Fitzgerald, and moved away. The Fitzgeralds are still on okay terms, and she pays child support and sends presents.

Whether Austin resents her or not, Justin has no clue, but he can tell Austin honestly believes she’d’ve been happier if he were never born.

Bobby comes out, and Justin moves to make room for him.

Patting him on the shoulder, Bobby sits down next to Austin. “How you holding up, buddy?”

“I’m fine, Mr Talercio,” Austin answers. “Thank you for all you’re doing.”

“You’re family,” Bobby replies. “Justin, kiddo, can I talk to Austin privately?”

…

“Look, Austin, I know this is all hard, and I don’t want to make it worse for you,” Bobby tells him. “But your mom has a very important job in D.C., and she probably won’t be able to be gone for long. The fact is, she might want to take you back there with her.” 

“That’s fine, Mr Talercio,” Austin replies. He slumps down further into his chair. “She’s my mom, and- If she wants me to leave, it’s fine.”

“Austin, if going with her is what you want, that’s fine. We’ll all understand, especially Justin. But if you want to stay with us, just tell me. We’d be happy to have you, and we’d try to get her to leave you here.”

“I don’t want to leave,” Austin quietly declares.

“Alright.” Bobby wraps an arm around him.

…

Slipping his hand into his dad’s, Austin says, “Hey, Dad. I’m doing okay. Aunt Hilda yelled at me for trying to the dishes, but I told her that being more than a guest meant doing chores, too. Anyway-” Clearing his throat against his cracked voice, he says, “What about you? Will you- I need- Dad, please-”

…

The doorbell rings.

“I’ll get it,” Justin calls.

He opens the door to find a short, chubby, white woman in a skirted, lavender business suit with crimson, crimped hair and the same ambiguous eye colour Austin has. “Hello,” she says in a slightly accented voice. “I’m Darcy Thomason Fitzgerald. Is this-”

“Mom?”

Justin stands aside, and Austin rushes over.

“Oh, look at you,” Ms Fitzgerald says while she hugs her son and pulls his head down so she can kiss him. “You’ve gotten so big and strong, the pictures don’t do you justice. I’m sorry for taking so long, Austin. The planes were packed. And I’m so sorry about all this. How are you holding up?”

“Okay,” Austin answers. Breaking the hug and gesturing to Justin, he says, “Mom, come in; this is my boyfriend, Justin.”

“Hi,” Justin greets. He spots a dainty, white gold band with a small, lavender-coloured stone in the middle on her left ring finger. “That’s a lovely ring, Ms Fitzgerald.”

“Thank you,” she replies. Extending her hand, she says, “It’s nice to finally meet the boy Samuel has told me so much about. I’m sorry we’re meeting under such circumstances instead of at Christmas as originally planned.”

Justin can’t help but give Austin a look.

Shrugging, Austin says, “Sometimes, plans change. I wasn’t going to say anything unless it was for sure.”

“Oh,” Ms Fitzgerald says, and Justin can see the realisation setting in.

Thankfully, his mom calls, “Justin, Austin? Boys, is someone-”

“Mrs Talercio, I assume,” Ms Fitzgerald calls. “I’m Darcy Fitzgerald, Austin’s mother.”

…

There’s a knock.

On the floor, Austin is filling in the letters on the sign for Drama class while Justin bedazzles the edges.

“Come in,” Austin calls.

Ms Fitzgerald appears and frowns. “You know you’re always supposed to ask who it is before inviting them in,” she scolds. Kneeling down, she continues, “I noticed your boyfriend didn’t even bother looking through the window before answering. Your father may think it’s silly, but-”

Justin doesn’t know whether to apologise or defend himself and Austin, but Austin just rolls his eyes. “Mom, Dad thinks it’s silly because he knows that lack of invitation isn’t going to stop someone from breaking in. That only works with vampires, which you both refuse to believe in, despite all evidence to the contrary.”

Giving her son a sadly amused look, Ms Fitzgerald sighs. Reaching out, she strokes his face. “Listen, honey, get your cell phone. There’s a hotel near here. I’ve talked to the Talercios, and we think it’s best you stay here for the time being. But you can call me anytime, day or night. If you ever need to leave, I’ll come get you.”

“I’ll get it,” Justin says.

“You’re staying?” Austin asks.

“Of course, I am,” she answers. “Just because your father and I are divorced doesn’t mean we aren’t still family. And no matter what happens, I’m always going to try to make sure you’re taken care of.”

“I’m glad, really. But. What about your job?”

“My boss is understanding. I’m going to do some of it by email, and other than that, I’m on personal leave. But it wouldn’t matter. No job is more important than you and your father.”

After the hotel’s number, email address, and regular address are filled in, Austin gives the ankh necklace to her, and Justin is relieved when she accepts it without voicing her disbelief.

“Be good.” She kisses Austin. “Mind them, and try to keep up in school. I’ll come by after dinner, and we’ll go to the hospital together. Right now, I need to get checked in.”

…

“I’m sorry your mom didn’t stay here,” Justin says.

Giving him a brief kiss, Austin tells him, “It’s fine. I’m just glad she’s staying in town. I love her, but when all this first happened, I thought she might just send a ticket and tell me to be on the first available plane to Washington. I didn’t expect her to show. And I was afraid when she did she’d just make sure your family was safe, pay them some money, and be on the first plane back.”

Squeezing Justin’s hand, he adds, “We’d just get on her nerves if she stayed.”

Justin wishes he knew what to say.

There’s no change in Officer Fitzgerald’s condition.

Austin seems to be hopeful. He left the crystals in his dad’s room, and he had been happy there was a crucifix nailed on one of the walls due to the fact it would keep his dad safe from vampires. They could enter hospitals and might be able to enter patient rooms, according to Austin, but they wouldn’t go near people who had religious objects near them.

More than once, Justin has snuck into his mom and Bobby’s room, kneeled in front of the saint figurines, and desperately prayed for Officer Fitzgerald to wake up and make a full recovery. He’s begged, he’s recited all the prayers of intercession he can remember, and he’s even said Hail Mary despite his lack of rosary. He’s crossed himself, although, he’s not sure he did it correctly.

Some terrified part of him wonders if the people who, in his grandpa’s words, spit fire and brimstone are right. He worries his dad died because of him being gay, and Officer Fitzgerald is in a coma because of his and Austin’s relationship.

He’s already decided, if Officer Fitzgerald lives, if he gets some sign he needs to break up with Austin, he will. It doesn’t matter how much it’d hurt. Justin loves Austin, and he’s not going to be responsible for God punishing him.

…

After they’ve sat for some time in the hospital, Ms Fitzgerald stands up. Placing her hand on Austin’s shoulder, she leans down and kisses his head. “Sweetie, I’m sorry, but I need to take a walk. Will you be okay?”

“Yeah,” he answers. “Take Justin.”

Justin isn’t sure he wants to leave.

“Austin,” Ms Fitzgerald starts to say.

“Mom, please,” Austin says. “I don’t want you walking alone at night. You don’t know the area. Justin does.”

“Okay,” Justin agrees.

If him going with her will put Austin at ease, they’ll both have to deal with it.

Walking over, he kisses Austin and says, “I promise I won’t distract you, Ms Fitzgerald.”

…

Once they’re out of the hospital, she startles him by saying, “You’re closer to Austin than your parents and grandfather. Tell me, honestly, how is my son doing?”

“He’s quiet,” Justin answers, “and having bad dreams. Um, I mean-” Aside from chaste kisses and hand-holding, he and Austin aren’t doing anything. It’s all PG. However, he is sleeping in bed with Austin.

“I’m not worried about how far your relationship with him has progressed,” she informs him. “I just want to know how he’s handling everything.”

“He’s getting through it. My mom and granddad are making sure he eats, and I’m making sure he doesn’t dress worse than normal. The fact he’s sort of protesting that is good. He’s trying to be strong, and we’re all trying to help.”

Part of him suspects Austin cries when taking showers, but he thinks it best he keep said suspicion to himself.

“Thank you,” she says. “I’m glad my son has found such a good boyfriend and friend.”

“Have you always known,” Justin blurts out.

He immediately realises this isn’t the most appropriate time to ask such a thing.

“That he’s gay?”

“Yes. Sorry. I mean-”

“It’s fine,” she assures him. “Yes and no. I knew since infancy that Austin has an unrestrained heart. I didn’t know whether he was gay, straight, or something else, but I knew that when he got older, there would be no one who could be completely ruled out when it came to the question of who he might bring home.”

There’s a pause.

“Justin, I’m sorry if this makes you uncomfortable, but there are some things you need to know. I’ve never really talked to Austin about this, and I don’t know what he thinks and believes about me leaving. I don’t know what his father’s told him. But I didn’t leave because he was gay or because I didn’t love him.”

He stays quiet.

“I love Austin more than anything, and I don’t regret having him. The truth is, however, that some people shouldn’t be parents. Unfortunately, some people don’t truly figure this out until after they have a child. I made the hard decision to leave him with Samuel, who’s a wonderful father, rather than stay and have him grow up with a bad parent.”

Justin considers his words carefully. “Families are complicated. I understand that. I’m just glad that you’re here for him. I do know your son better than you do, Ms Fitzgerald, but next to his dad, he loves you more than anyone, and he needs you more than he needs me and my family.”

“Well,” she says with a sigh, “I need all the help I can get.”

“You’ll have it,” he promises. “Also, if you need help with finding fashionable clothes at bargain prices for while you’re here, I can totally help you with that. Please, don’t enlist Austin. I love your son, but his fashion choices are a point of contention between him and me.”

Chuckling, she says, “I’ll keep that in mind.”

After a few minutes of walking, they get back near the hospital when she suddenly groans and bring her hand up to her stomach.

“Ms Fitzgerald?”

“I’m fine,” she assures him.

Following her line of slight, he jumps and feels a chill go through him.

Standing across the street is a grim-faced man in a leather jacket looking at her with an expression Justin finds discomforting.

“It’s okay,” she assures him. “I recognise him.”

She takes the ankh necklace off and puts it on him. “Stay here for a minute. I’m going to go talk to him. Remember how strongly Austin believes in this power,” she tells him while tracing the necklace.

Before he can protest, she’s jogging away and leaving him shivering and wondering if he should call someone, run after her, or run to the hospital to get help.

It doesn’t take long. They exchange a few words, the man looks over at Justin, and then, turns and leaves.

When she gets back, she says, “It’s okay. Let’s go, honey.”

…

“I know it sounds crazy,” Justin says.

“No, it doesn’t,” Austin declares. “My mom has this friend in Washington that I swear is a demon or alien of some kind. I mean, I don’t mean demon in a bad way. She’s really nice, and she loves my mom, but I can just feel that there’s something- I don’t know, hidden about her. She’s not normal.”

“You like not normal,” Justin teases.

He remembers all the times Austin has insisted he (Justin) must be a changeling. He’d also had a similar theory about Justin’s aunt, Betty, being somehow vaguely magical in a literal sense.

“I like Lily, and she’s normal,” Austin protests.

“Yeah, but you don’t want to kiss her,” Justin answers with a grin.

“No, I don’t,” Austin agrees and reaches over for him.

Naturally, as soon as Justin feels the perfect sensation of Austin’s hand slipping under his shirt, there’s a firm rap on the semi-closed door.

They break apart, and Justin exclaims, “Everything’s still PG!”

“Keep it that way,” his grandfather answers.

 …

“Honey. Boys, wake up,” Justin hears and feels his mother shaking him.

“Mom,” he mumbles and makes a groan of protest when he’s separated from Austin’s solid warmth.

“Your dad’s awake, buddy,” Bobby tells Austin.

…

While Austin and his mom are happily talking to Officer Fitzgerald and his parents, Justin excuses himself to go get something from the cafeteria and finds himself in the hospital chapel.

Sighing, he sits down on one of the chairs.

“I’m here,” he says. “I guess.”

“God doesn’t make deals,” a voice says.

He jumps and looks over.

“Sorry,” a woman says. She walks over to sit next to him.

She’s pretty, he notices, but wearing something he wouldn’t be surprised to see on Aunt Betty.

“I know that look,” she tells him. “God just loves. It doesn’t matter if a person’s good or bad, what they do or don’t do. What happens will happen, often for reasons that aren’t evident. Whatever deal you’re wondering if you need to keep, you don’t.”

“I’m not very religious,” Justin answers.

“It doesn’t matter,” she answers. “If a mother or father sends a young child to someone else to raise, what right would that parent have to be angry over the child not acknowledging their existence, or to go further, not believing in it? God loves, whether the love is returned or not. Life is full of rewards and punishments, but God does neither.”

“What about after death?”

“Someday, all souls will be separated: those who are ready to join, and those who need time. Then, eventually, the last soul will have had plenty of time and will join.”

“That would be nice,” Justin says. “And where do gay people fit in?”

She smiles. “I’ve seen you with the auburn-haired boy,” she says. “God wishes more people developed relationships like yours.”

“There are people who disagree.”

“God loves them, too.”

“I just don’t want to be the reason something like this happens.”

“You’re the reason he’s able to survive something like what happened happening,” she informs him. “To love and be loved is the most important weapon people can have in times of tragedy. God doesn’t make deals,” she repeats. “And even if she did, or he, if you prefer, did, a deal that involved the wilful dissolution of loving relationships wouldn’t be something she’d ever want.”

Reaching over, she squeezes his hand, and he breaths out.

“How do you know all this?”

She smiles. “Some people manage to develop a close relationship with the parent who sent them away.”

0

Letting out a scoff, Darcy undoes the straps on her heels and continues walking.

Six vampires jump down and surround her.

She jumps up, does a spilt, and her heels drive through the hearts of two on either side. Withdrawing her pocketknife, she spins in the air, kicks across a wall, and cuts through two of their heads. Landing on a bench, she kicks one into the other, jumps on top of both of them, and plunges the knife through.

Before they turn to dust, she flips herself through the air and spreads her legs so her feet land back in the heels. Briefly, she wobbles before regaining her balance and muttering, “What a tedious welcome back,” as she flips the knife and jabs backwards.

Putting the knife up, she redoes the straps and walks inside the building while piles of dust blow away behind her.

…

Inside her apartment, the vengeance demon says, “Welcome back. Avoid news covering Tibet for a while.”

Sighing, she nods and tosses her keys aside. “Will do. Successful assignment, then?”

“Very.”

Sinking down on the couch, Darcy says, “Summers has given her permission for her pet, Liam, to enter the city. Let’s hope that isn’t blanket permission.”

“Oh, no,” the vengeance demon mutters. “What about William the Bloody? I can still kill him. It wouldn’t require anything on your part. There are plenty of people he’s made angry enough that they’d quickly wish for his demise. There are evil demons who’d do it, even. No humans need be involved.”

“No,” Darcy answers. “Unfortunately, he might still be vital in the grand scheme. I can’t risk damning the world.”

“What are you going to do if this is blanket permission and the city’s soon swarmed?”

“Get my son out,” Darcy answers. “And if I can’t, if their actions make Austin’s life forfeit,” she looks down at her ring and twists it, “this comes off.”

Pulling up her shirt and camisole, she looks at the dark, twisted scar on her side. “I’ll reveal myself to Watcher Giles. Just as he betrayed, tortured, and tried to kill me, I’ll personally return all he did sixfold unto him, and then, I’ll kill him, making sure he feels unbearable pain until the very last microsecond of life,” she says. “If Summers wants to kill me, I’ll gladly let her. She can deal with the unwashable sin on her soul of spilling the blood her own.”

The vengeance demon nods. After reaching over and gently pulling the shirt back down, demon fingers link through slayer fingers.

…

In an abandoned café, two figures sit.

“The protection still holds,” one of them hisses. “And we know she entered the city, but we still don’t have her. We need to kill everyone close to the boy. His boyfriend, that little girlfriend of his, the family of the boyfriend.”

“We couldn’t even successfully manipulate things enough to get his father,” the other points out.

“Well, we’re running out of time. What do you suggest?”

“We use Wolfram and Hart. There are many creatures there that are still sore over Angel’s stint. And they’ve always wanted an office in Manhattan.”

“There’s just the minuscule problem of the Senior Partners declaring it open season on us.”

Shrugging, the other answers, “I’d wager there are plenty who’d rather have a Manhattan view than get credit for taking care of something the Partners lost interest in centuries ago.”

0

“Hey.” Austin kisses Justin.

“Hey,” Justin repeats. “I’ll miss having you beside me, but I’m glad you get to go back home with your dad.”

Nodding, Austin bites his lip and looks down.

“Is something wrong?”

“No.” Austin looks up. “Do you remember what you said that first night? About loving me?” Before Justin can answer, he continues, “I just want you to know: I love you, Justin. I mean, I loved you and Lily before we even started dating, and I don’t know about being in love, one way or another, but you, my dad, and my mom are the three most important people to me. No matter what, I just love you.”

“I love you, too,” Justin tells him with a bright smile.     


End file.
